The Routine

by Hotwire

Overview

While The Routine is wrapped up in the trappings of a major-label release -- with its liners listing out business managers, guitar and drum technicians, and no less than five engineers -- Hotwire's debut full-length manages to avoid most of the after-market tinkering that made disappointing sound-alikes out of their suburban Cali counterparts in Hoobastank and Audiovent. Sure, The Routine channels the same mixture of Deftones rage and Incubus yearning. But together with producer Matt Hyde (Fu Manchu, Hatebreed), Hotwire's Russ Martin (vocals/guitar), Brian Borg (drums), Chris Strauser (bass), and Gabe Garcia (guitar) have made a debut that shows actual promise, instead of simply sticking with what's been proven to work. And in a post-grunge climate with clearly defined boundaries, that counts as a compliment. The post-hardcore one-two punch of "Not Today" and "Invisible" tears open The Routine with aggressive dynamic shifts and very little filler, while "Nice Profile" works on opening the cut with a fist-pumping chorus that can be forgiven for sounding like the soundtrack to a beer commercial. The ballads of the album's middle suffer, since there is nothing in either Martin's indistinct croon or the band's plodding riffs to separate them from contemporaries like Chevelle. (That said, "Say What You Want" does include a gorgeous acoustic coda that's a nice break before The Routine's second half.) Bogged down as it is with a directionless midsection, Hotwire's debut isn't ultimately as successful as its first half would suggest. But as The Routine draws to a close, screamers like "Magazine" and the punishing half-time finale to "Neuro Girl" again show Hotwire's promise and suggest that the high points of its debut aren't just a studio fluke. ~ Johnny Loftus

Product Details

Release Date:	06/10/2003
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0828765066921

Tracks

1. Not Today
2. Invisible
3. Nice Profile
4. Rugburn
5. Say What You Want
6. Hands on You
7. Magazine
8. Tweaked
9. Neuro Girl
10. Colorblind
11. How It Goes
12. In the Unknown

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Hotwire   Primary Artist
Chris Strauser   Bass
Gabe Garcia   Guitar
Brian Borg   Drums
Russ Martin   Vocals,Guitar

Technical Credits

Pete Martinez   Assistant Engineer
Paul Forgues   Editing,Engineer
Brian Malouf   A&R
Dan Druff   Guitar Technician,Editing
John Nicholsen   Drum Technician
Marina Chavez   Photography
Frank Harkins   Art Direction
Victor McCoy   Assistant Engineer
Mike Terry   Engineer,Editing
Matt Hyde   Producer,Mixing
Hotwire   Composer
Edmond Monsef   Editing
Critter   Engineer
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering